The cat is out of the bag ....

national | miscellaneous | news report Thursday March 20, 2003 10:05 by the watchman

SOURCE: FINANCIAL TIMES

UN to have no political power in postwar Iraq By Guy Dinmore and Peronet Despeignes in Washington and Henry,Hamman in Miami Published: March 20 2003 4:00 | Last Updated: March 20 2003 4:00 Statements by US officials have revealed the determination of the Bush administration to exert full and immediate authority over Iraq, while keeping options open in the long term. While the US and UK will seek United Nations endorsement of an "appropriate post-conflict administration", US officials made it clear the UN would have no political authority in postwar Iraq and its role would be mainly humanitarian. "Iraqi democracy will have to be defined by the Iraqi people," Mr Grossman said. Answering a question, he said he hoped that one of the first decisions of a new Iraqi government would be to recognise the state of Israel.